This invention relates to multi-panel products and, more particularly, to such products which enable arcuate movements of adjacent components thereof.
With the ever increasing quantity of products and services being offered to consumers, substantial interest has been given to promotional systems for advertising such products and services. In this regard, a wide variety of advertising displays and promotional literature has been created and distributed to consumers. However, due to the deluge of material to which average consumers are constantly exposed, greater emphasis has been placed upon developing eye-catching, visual displays and promotional material which will receive consumer attention.
Although various novelty products and printed displays have been created in an attempt to satisfy this demand, these prior art products have failed to provide the desired interest generating result with production costs which advertisers are capable of justifying. In attempting to generate a unique advertising display, some prior art products have employed complex folding systems which produce a three-dimensional display when activated or unfolded. However, in spite of the unique visual appearance generated by such products, the overall cost of production and complexity of assembly of these systems has prevented such prior art systems from becoming popular.
Other prior art displays have attempted to generate consumer interest by providing unique visual images or other indicia as an integral part of the display. However, these prior art attempts have also failed to generate the consumer interest being sought, largely due to an inability to physically involve the consumer in the promotion or display.
In addition, other products, such as greeting cards have attempted to generate consumer interest. However, consumer involvement in the card display has not been achieved.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a printed, multi-panel display product which is capable of being produced at a reasonable cost and provides an exciting, interest-generating display.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printed multi-panel display product having the characteristic features described above, which enables the consumer to physically control the presentation of the display in a unique hands-on manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printed multi-panel display product having the characteristic features described above which is capable of mass production and assembly.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-panel display product having the characteristic features described above which provides a unique, eye-catching, exciting and surprising display which is produced in response to action by the consumer.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
By employing the present invention, all of the difficulties and inabilities of the prior art are eliminated and a unique, hands-on, printed, visually exciting and interest-generating multi-panel display product is attained. This desirable result is realized in the present invention by providing a unique, pre-printed housing member within which a plurality of pre-printed display members are operatively interconnected for sequential display relative to each other in a unique, co-operative, continuously unfolding construction.
In accordance with the present invention, a principal housing or first element is provided which incorporates a front panel and a rear panel mounted in juxtaposed, spaced relationship with each other, defining a first interior zone therebetween. Preferably, each panel comprises an eye-catching, visual display for generating consumer interest.
In the preferred construction, a second element is, mounted between the front panel and a rear panel of the first element in a manner which enables the second element to pivot outwardly from the first element from a first fully stowed position to a second fully displayed position. In the preferred embodiment, the second fully displayed position is directly adjacent the first element. In addition, the second element also incorporates a front panel and a rear panel mounted in juxtaposed spaced relationship with each other, defining a second interior zonetherebetween.
By employing this invention, the second element is fully retained and stored within the first element, totally hidden from view. However, whenever the consumer or user wishes to display the second element and enjoy the visual impact provided thereby, the second element is pivoted out of its stowed position to its fully displayed position directly adjacent the first element, thereby enabling both the first element and the second element to be in full view.
In the preferred embodiment, further additional elements are also employed, with each element being pivotally mounted in the adjacent element in the same manner as detailed above. In this way, a display system is achieved wherein virtually any desired number of elements can be employed, with each element being sequentially movable from a stored position to a displayed position, in a continuous, xe2x80x9cjack-knifexe2x80x9d like display construction.
By employing this sequentially movable, multi-element, multi-panel display system, visually exciting and interest generating products are realized, such as greeting cards and advertising/promotional products which enable a consumer to physically engage a portion of the display member and cause each element mounted within the adjacent member to be displayed whenever desired. By continuously moving each display element relative to its adjacent element, a continuous, elongated display system is produced to the enjoyment of the consumer.
Furthermore, by providing pertinent, interest-generating printed indicia on the exposed surfaces of each element, any desired message can be conveyed to the consumer and a unique greeting card and/or promotional display system is achieved which captures the interest, excitement and imagination of the consumer. In this way, consumer interest is generated both in the greeting card and/or the advertising/display product, as well as the message being promoted by the product.
The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.